Work, family, bills to pay, and other priorities are just some factors that can leave you feeling burnt out. There are ways to help overcome this. I usually work out or travel when I want to de-stress. It helps clear my mind and keeps the endorphins flowing. It has never crossed my mind to attend a yoga retreat but when I heard that SoulSpeak was at Sundowners Zambales and we'll be doing yoga everyday (which is a good form exercise) it sounded like my kind of place. 

When I think of the word retreat, the first thing that comes to mind are the school retreats I had to attend for Christian Living. Those were always fun because it was an excuse to go out of town with my classmates/ friends. But for this retreat, I wasn't going to know anyone. I'd be with strangers for three whole days. I forced my boyfriend to accompany me even if all the other participants were women. He's never done yoga in his life but he's into mindful meditation and because he loves me, he agreed!

We were 15 strangers with different backgrounds but with one goal in mind: to retreat. The word retreat means, "An act of moving back or withdrawing." We did just that. We left all our worries back in Manila to live in the moment. 

We stayed in the 5 Bedroom Grand Pool Villa. I loved how the villa was tropical themed. Each room was designed differently but it felt very Greek inspired.

Our first activity was a simple ice breaker/ getting to know you. We all formed one big circle and picked a card from the deck. We were tasked to connect the card to why we were there and share a bit about ourselves. Everyone had their own story- some were tired from work, some were going through big changes and needed clarity, while others were there as a bonding experience with their friends. For me, I was troubled about my career path and hoped that the retreat would give me some answers. Oh and I love yoga! (I've been practicing on and off for over four years already)

helping reduce stress and create a deep sense of peace and well-being. This was a new experience for me.

Our second day started at 9 am for a pilates/ yoga session with Teacher Shiloh. It feels good to work up a sweat early in the morning.

I've been feeling stuck for quite some time now. Now matter how hard I try to get back on track, I keep getting lost along the way. As someone in her mid 20s, it's perfectly okay not to have everything figured out. This is the age of self-discovery. Go on that trip that you've been saving for, take your dream job even if it doesn't pay so well and spend on yourself without feeling guilty. While you're not married/ with kids yet, be selfish. It's the only time in your life that you have the luxury to do so. 

Here are some quotes that helped me get through some dark days. Hope you find some inspiration in them too.

1. You can never expect to succeed if you only put work on the days you feel like it.

2. People romanticize their plans but dread the execution. The magic you're looking for is in the work you're avoiding.

3. You have to be bad at something before you are good at it.

4. You're not too old and it is not too late.

5. If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can't hear them anymore.

6. These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.

7. If you want to fly, you need to give up everything that weighs you down.

8. Don't let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life.

9. Act as if what you do makes a difference, it does.

10.  Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine.

The Amalfi Coast is so beautiful. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would step foot in this town. It has always been at the top of my bucket list. When Jacob and I were planning our Europe trip, he said that he wanted to spend more time in Italy. He has always dreamt of seeing the iconic spots like the Colosseum and Duomo while all I wanted to see was the Amalfi Coast. We made sure that we got to fit both in our itinerary.

Four days was not enough to explore everything that the Amalfi Coast had to offer. We had to strategically choose the location of our hotel, transportation, tours and budget.

First, you have to decide where will your base will be. We chose Sorrento, which is not part of the Amalfi Coast, but it's just a short distance away. It's located in the middle and it has the best value for money. The Amalfi Coast is known to be very expensive. The hotels in Positano or Ravello would cost an arm and a leg. Sorrento was practical and since we decided not to rent a car, it has the most options for public transportation.

Getting around the towns wasn't easy because the roads are winding and very narrow. Jacob was too scared to drive there. The cars were bumper to bumper. We would use the hop on hop off bus as our way to get around. The other options are to rent a motorbike, take the public bus, or book a car service.

It was a given already that Amalfi wouldn't be cheap but we tried our best to save on some costs so we could splurge on what we loved- FOOD! Here's a breakdown of our expenses. This was for 5 days, 4 nights for 2 pax.

Next, we planned our itinerary as follows:

Day 1: Sorrento

 From Rome, we took the Flixbus to Naples.  It took over three hours. The ride was smooth and comfortable. There's WiFi in the bus!

Our hotel was Lemon Flats Sorrento. It's had a lemon farm in the garden and the most amazing view of the Sorrento Peninsula.

After touring the town, we spotted this enchanting patio in Excelsior Vittoria. This 5-star luxury hotel has a champagne bar and Terrazza Bosquet, a Michelin restaurant. We sat down for a couple of drinks before heading back to the hotel. 

Day 2: Positano

We woke up extra early because we were so excited to go to Positano. These photos don't do justice. It was one of those "PINCH ME!" moments.

Day 3: Capri Islands

For our third day, we booked a semi-private tour around Capri to celebrate Jacob's birthday. There are a lot of tour companies offering different kinds of tours. I suggest you walk around and find one that suits you best. The ones I found online were more expensive and the descriptions were vague. It's better to talk to the tour operators face-to-face so you can ask as many questions as you want. Our tour around Capri was around Php5000/ head. They take you to the surrounding islands of Capri for two hours then they'll drop you in Capri after for some free time.

Day 4: Amalfi

Our last full day was spent in Amalfi. This town was where you can find a number of Michelin restaurants. However, since we were there during off peak a lot of them were closed. The weather wasn't so great too as you can see from the photos it was very gloomy. Nonetheless, we still made the most out of it.

Still in awe until now that I was able to see more of God's beautiful creation. If you're planning a trip to Italy, don't miss out on the Amalfi Coast!